Lent 2016 Devotional—March 22

WORSHIP SONG EIGHT (Part 2)

Revelation 19:1-8

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,

“Hallelujah!Salvation and glory and power to our God, for his judgments are true and just;he has judged the great whore who corrupted the earth with her fornication,and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”Once more they said,

“Hallelujah!The smoke goes up from her forever and ever.”And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who is seated on the throne, saying,

“Amen. Hallelujah!”

And from the throne came a voice saying,

“Praise our God, all you his servants,and all who fear him, small and great.”

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunderpeals, crying out,

“Hallelujah!For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory,for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready;to her it has been granted to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure”—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

March 22nd

See the bottom of this post for how to use this daily devotional

PRAY

READ ALOUD Revelation 19:1-8

REFLECT

“All the world loves a lover”, Ralph Waldo Emerson declared in an essay on love. We do delight in seeing people in love, getting married, and living happily ever after. If all the world loves a lover, then all the world will one day love the “marriage feast of the Lamb”. It is the greatest of all love stories about living happily ever after!

At this point in the revealing of the way things really are, the whore has been judged and the Bride of Christ steps forward. “The glossy glitzy world of Babylon has been overthrown; God’s people emerge.” (N. T. Wright, Revelation for Everyone)

Jesus loved to talk about weddings (Matthew 22:10-11; 25:1-13; Mark 2:19) and performed His first miracle at a wedding (John 2:1-11). He often referred to Himself as a bridegroom coming for His bride (Matthew 9:15; Matthew 22:2-24; Matthew 25:1-13; Mark 2:19-20; Luke 5:34-35; John 3:29). Jesus even said, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son” (Matthew 22:2). The truth is, in Jesus’ first century world of Judea, weddings were a big, big deal. They were the most fun anyone could ever have, as the feasting, dancing, and entertaining could last as long as a week.

The early American pastor and theologian Jonathan Edwards loved to think about and preach about the wedding of Christ to His Bride, the Church. Edwards said:

The end of the creation of God was to provide a spouse for His Son Jesus Christ that might enjoy Him and on whom He might pour forth His love… And therefore the last thing and the issue of all things is the marriage of the Lamb…and the love and joys, the songs, entertainment and glories of the wedding never will be ended. It will be an everlasting wedding day. (The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Volume 18)

Notably, the “everlasting wedding day” is called the “marriage feast of the Lamb.” It is not called the marriage feast of the Lion, the King of Kings, or Lord of Lords, but called “the marriage feast of the Lamb”. Christ wants to forever be known and desired by us as the gentle and humbled Lamb. In fact, The Revelation’s favorite title for Jesus is ‘the Lamb’. “I think that it is very appropriate for Christ to appear in glory as a Lamb, because it is as the Lamb that He has most fully displayed His love to the Church, to which He is espoused, and to which He is to be married on that Last Great Day.” (Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The C. H. Spurgeon Collection) Emerson was right! All the world does love a lover! Let us declare our love for the Lamb who first loved us and gave Himself for us!

READ ALOUD Revelation 19:1-8

WORSHIP

HOW TO USE THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

This daily Lenten devotional takes up eight songs of worship from The Revelation. It is significant that this is the only book in the Bible promising a blessing on those who read it, specifically: “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of the prophecy” (Revelation 1:3 NRSV). Each section of this devotional presents a song for your audible reading, reflection and worship. Each day you will:

PRAY asking God to bless this time you devote to Him

READ ALOUD the worship song and text for the day

REFLECT on the daily reading

READ ALOUD again the worship song and text for the day

WORSHIP God each day in a way that is meaningful for you. The way in which you worship might vary day to day. Depending on the day, you might choose to talk with God about what you are thinking and feeling about the song, or meditate on the worship song, or intercede for others, or sing, or be silent before God. Ask God to guide you.

We pray that God use these worship songs of The Revelation to reveal His glory to you and bless you as you center your life in Him.